Sherbrooke, QC – The University of Victoria women's and men's cross-country teams competed at the 2025 U SPORTS Championships on Nov. 8, hosted by the University of Sherbrooke. The women's team captured first place, taking the 2025 U SPORTS National Championship. The men's team performed strongly and took sixth place, highlighted by Jaxon Kuchar's ninth-place finish.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Vikes women win first National Championship since 2001

• The women's championship-winning performance is the first U SPORTS gold medal since winning in 2001, also hosted by the University of Sherbrooke. The women dominated the field, winning by a staggering 18 points. Head Coach Hilary Stellingwerff and the women's team built on their third-place finish last season. The University of Sherbrooke has hosted the U SPORTS Championships four times since 1985, and the Vikes women's team has won the national title three of those four occasions.

 
Eybergen proved she's the best in the country.

• Madelyn Eybergen put her skills on display as she rose above a skilled field to win the 2025 U SPORTS gold medal. Eybergen's first-place finish is her highest of her career at a U SPORTS Championship, topping her third-place finish from last year. Eybergen becomes the first Vikes woman to win the U SPORTS gold medal since Anna Gunasekera in 1991. Eybergen adds the gold medal and First Team All-Canadian honours to her historic season, having won silver at the 2025 Canada West Championship a few weeks ago. 

 
 Thompson and Kuchar finished in the top 10

• Marisha Thompson claimed sixth place and First Team All-Canadian honours as she improved on her ninth-place finish from last year with a time of 28:35.
• Jaxon Kuchar raced strongly as he clocked a ninth-place finish with a time of 24:45. Kuchar's performance earned him Second Team All-Canadian honours.

 
Erin Owens added an 18th-place performance.

• Owens topped her 22nd-place finish last season with her stellar 18th-place performance. Owens clocked a time of 29:10, which was vital in capturing the gold medal as a team.

 
Vikes men finish ninth

• For the second year in a row, the Vikes men's team finished ninth, recording its fourth-straight top-10 performance at the U SPORTS Championships.

 
RESULTS
Teams
1. Vikes Women – 99 Points
6. Vikes Men - 209 Points
 
Women's 8K
1. Madelyn Eybergen – 27:10
6. Marisha Thompson – 28.35
18. Erin Owens – 29:10
41. Ella Lane – 29:50
45. Elissa Frielink – 29:57
49. Colette Reimer – 30:06
91. Ella Ballard – 30:57
 
Men's 8K
9. Jaxon Kuchar – 24:45
29. Ian McAllister – 25:30
37. Henry Bristol – 25:40
51. Nico Stockwell – 25:57
100. Jacob Webster – 26:38
113. Rowen Suchoski – 26:54
141. Jack Screen – 27:34